Is Water the New Oil?
Why Water Is Called The New Oil?
Ashley Buckhanon
Bethel University
Abstract
This paper is about providing safe drinking water to the world’s 6.9 billion and growing population is one of the greatest challenges of the century. Consideration of the global water cycle, however, shows that the available renewable freshwater resources exceed the current human demand by roughly a factor of 10. Scarcity results from the uneven spatial and temporal distribution of water. Over withdrawal of surface water and groundwater has led to depletion of water resources and environmental damage in some regions. Indeed, resource monitoring, development of novel waste – water treatment technologies, and determination of the quantities of water that can be withdrawn without causing adverse effects on environment will be essential for the efficient management of global water resources in the future.
We take water for granted. And why not? We turn a tap and it comes out. But that’s going to have to change. The basic problem is this: the quantity of water in the world is finite, but demand is everywhere on the rise. As oil was in the 20th century – the key resource, a focus of tension, even conflict – so water will be of the 21st, as states, countries, and industries compete over the ever – more – precious resource. So we need to figure it how to use it more sustainably. But that’s not all.
IBM’s Water Report illustrates our relationship with water. Water is the lifeblood of this planet. Every time a good is bought or sold there is a virtual exchange of water. Every time we interact with water, we change it, redirect it, or otherwise alter its state. The report highlights that we can’t survive without water. Although water is a renewable resource
Ashley Buckhanon
Bethel University
Abstract
This paper is about providing safe drinking water to the world’s 6.9 billion and growing population is one of the greatest challenges of the century. Consideration of the global water cycle, however, shows that the available renewable freshwater resources exceed the current human demand by roughly a factor of 10. Scarcity results from the uneven spatial and temporal distribution of water. Over withdrawal of surface water and groundwater has led to depletion of water resources and environmental damage in some regions. Indeed, resource monitoring, development of novel waste – water treatment technologies, and determination of the quantities of water that can be withdrawn without causing adverse effects on environment will be essential for the efficient management of global water resources in the future.
We take water for granted. And why not? We turn a tap and it comes out. But that’s going to have to change. The basic problem is this: the quantity of water in the world is finite, but demand is everywhere on the rise. As oil was in the 20th century – the key resource, a focus of tension, even conflict – so water will be of the 21st, as states, countries, and industries compete over the ever – more – precious resource. So we need to figure it how to use it more sustainably. But that’s not all.
IBM’s Water Report illustrates our relationship with water. Water is the lifeblood of this planet. Every time a good is bought or sold there is a virtual exchange of water. Every time we interact with water, we change it, redirect it, or otherwise alter its state. The report highlights that we can’t survive without water. Although water is a renewable resource
References: 1. Water and Economic Growth, Edward Barbier (2002) 2. Two proposals for unlimited Fresh Water, M. Nhisson (2008) 3.Clean Water Should Be Recognized as a Human Right, PLoS Medicine (2009)